Alipay+, a cross-border mobile payment and digitalization technology solution operated by Ant International, and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) aim to attract more tourists to Thailand and strengthen Thailand’s tourism services. announced an expansion of the partnership with a series of new developments aimed at Travel experiences amid strong travel demand.
The two said in a statement on Thursday that TAT is the first tourism board in the world to launch Alipay+ D-hub. It’s a customizable in-app mini-program that features important travel and cultural information, local merchant recommendations, and city and state guides. Destination in Thailand.
“Our partnership with Alipay+ plays an important role in attracting tourists and ensuring they enjoy the Thailand experience. Through partnerships like this, TAT is on track to achieve its 2024 goal. ” said Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhya, Deputy Governor, International Marketing, TAT Asia and South Pacific.
“With the further expansion of Alipay+ coverage, transactions will only increase, especially in smaller cities, and will stimulate the economy, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), across Thailand.
“We are taking the next steps to strengthen our partnership with new digital innovations for Chinese tourists, Thailand’s largest market, and look forward to extending these innovations to more tourists in the future. “We will continue to expand,” he said.
It is noted that Thailand continues to be one of the top travel destinations for Chinese tourists.
According to TAT, in the first four months of 2024, 2,351,909 tourists from mainland China visited Thailand.
During the 2024 Labor Day holiday, data from Alipay+ partner e-wallet Alipay showed that Thailand remained the top destination for Chinese tourists in Southeast Asia.
Transactions made through Alipay increased by 161% compared to 2023 and exceeded pre-pandemic transactions in 2019.
To better cater to today’s mobile-savvy travelers, TAT also launched Alipay+ D-Hub and Amazing Thailand eCard exclusively on Alipay for Chinese tourists, and gradually on other Alipay+ payment partners. We plan to make it possible.
In early 2024, Alipay+ also introduced Alipay+ D-store in Thailand. It is an all-in-one store digitization platform that allows locals and tourists to order, customize and pay directly on their mobile devices by simply scanning his QR code on the store. .
Currently, Alipay+ D Store merchants include domestic and international F&B merchants such as Dairy Queen, Burger King, The Coffee Club, and Doro.
“Tourism Board of Thailand has been at the forefront of digitalizing Thailand’s tourism industry, improving the experience for tourists and local businesses.
“Building on the success of our partnership, we will jointly continue to bring innovation to Thailand so that today’s mobile-savvy travelers can be fully immersed in uniquely Thai experiences as they discover, shop and dine using just their mobile phones. “We will continue to do so,” he said. Mr. Edward Yue, General Manager, South East Asia, Australia, New Zealand and Global Strategic Partnerships, Ant International.
It is noted that from January to April 2024, Thailand has already welcomed a record number of 12,127,447 international arrivals.
Meanwhile, Alipay+ data shows that transaction value in Thailand from January to April 2024 increased by 70% compared to the previous four months (September to December 2023). The highest spend was from Alipay (Mainland China), Touch ‘n Go. eWallet (Malaysia), AlipayHK (Hong Kong Special Administrative Region), and Kakao Pay (South Korea).
The joint marketing efforts were successful in increasing tourist engagement, resulting in a 52% increase in Alipay+ transactions during Songkran 2024 compared to the previous month.
Alipay+ said it continues to expand its merchant reach in Thailand to enable users of the 14 major international payment apps that are Alipay+ partners to seamlessly pay across Thailand.
As of May 2024, Alipay+ is accepted at over 400,000 merchants across Thailand, from small areas such as Nakhon Phanom, Chanthaburi, and Lampang to the outskirts of major cities, making it easier for tourists to explore the country. You will be able to travel inside and enjoy Thailand to the fullest.
The new franchisees include those at CentralWorld’s food and beverage (F&B), wellness, and famous street food attractions such as Foodworld, Let’s Relax Spa, and Grand Palace.
Alipay+ will soon be accepted on the Bangkok Public Transport System (BTS) as transportation is the primary tourist usage scenario.
Alipay+ is a suite of cross-border mobile payment and digitization technology solutions that helps connect merchants and consumers around the world.
Introduced by Ant International in 2020, Alipay+ currently connects more than 88 million merchants in 57 countries and territories to 1.5 billion consumer accounts across more than 25 e-wallets and banking apps.
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